Various electro-optical systems have been developed for reading optical indicia, such as bar codes. A bar code is a coded pattern of graphical indicia comprised of a matrix or series of bars and spaces of varying widths, the bars and spaces having differing light reflecting characteristics. Systems that read and decode bar codes employing CCD or CMOS-based imaging systems are typically referred to as imaging-based bar code readers or bar code scanners.
Imaging systems include CCD arrays, CMOS arrays, or other imaging pixel arrays having a plurality of photosensitive elements or pixels. Light reflected from a target image, e.g., a target bar code is focused through a lens of the imaging system onto the pixel array. Output signals from the pixels of the pixel array are digitized by an analog-to-digital converter. Decoding circuitry of the imaging system processes the digitized signals and attempts to decode the imaged bar code.
The ability of an imaging system to successfully decode an imaged bar code is dependent upon the ability to satisfactorily capture a clear image of the target bar code that is focused onto the pixel array and this in turn may be dependent on uniform illumination of a target bar code.
For many imaging applications, a useful field of view (FOV) is rectangular as dictated by the pixel array's aspect ratio. The illumination pattern emitted by the bar code reader should cover the rectangular FOV with good uniformity in light intensity.
Without a lens, a light emitting diode generates a much wider illumination pattern than is necessary thus wasting light. Furthermore, the pattern is not uniform enough. In the prior art a lens is used to match the LED to the bar code reader's field of view. This still produces a round illumination pattern and to cover the entire rectangular FOV light is still wasted reducing the energy efficiency and causing stray light that provides no useful function.